Automobile trunk



C. BILLBURG Oct. 7, 1930.

AUTOMOBILE TRUNK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1929 INVENTOR 67744265 BzZZhz z ATTORNEY Oct. 7, 1930. ck BILLBURG AUTOMOBILE TRUNK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1929 INVENTOR 7244266 5222?! ATTORNEY Lu v -51. 33...

Patented Get. 7, 1930 earner CHARLES BILLBURG, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN AUTOMOBILE TRUNK Application filed May 20, 1929. Serial No. 364,401.

used in the ordinary manner to carry a smaller volume of baggage or other articles, or with the movable portion opened and extending rearwardly so that greater carrying capacity may be afforded.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a trunk with a. covering to completely enclose the contents when the movableportion is in open position so as to render the contents theftproof, and to provide a simple supporting frame for the covering.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trunk wherein its covering and the supporting frame therefor are so 0011- structed that they may be easily mounted in position or dismounted; and wherein these parts only occupy a. small proportion of the interior of the trunk when the latter is in normal closed position.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a trunk which is weatherproof so that rain or snow will not enter through the joint between the stationary and movable portions when the trunk is closed; and wherein the removable covering will, to a large extent, protect the contents against the. elements when the trunk is in use in open position.

With these and other objects and advantages in view, which will become apparent as the specification proceeds, the invention is hereinafter more fully described with the aid of the accompanying drawlngs, in

which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective View of the trunk in closed position, and

Figure 2 a perspective view thereof with its movable portion in open rearwardly extending position, the covering in place, and the latter partly broken away.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the trunk in open position.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing the upper end of the front wall of the trunk with the substantially horizontal frame members in stored position.

Figure 5 shows an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the side curtain in position and the connections at its upper and lower margins.

Figure 6 is a detail showing the detachable ends of the running fastener portions and the running coupling in engagen'ient with one running fastener portion.

Figure 7 shows the running coupling locked in place after the running fastener portions on the covering and side curtain have been brought into engagement.

Figure 8 is a disassembled view of the connection between the supporting frame parts and Figure 9 is a sectional view of the two moulding portions disconnected by which a weatherproof joint is made between the stationary and movable trunk portions.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates" a stationary trunk portion and 2 a movable portion thereof. The stationary portion consists of a front wall 3, two side walls l the upper margins of which are preferably downwardly and rearwardly inclined, and a bottom portion 5. The movable portion consists of a rear wall 6, sides '4" and a top 8. To the rear margin of the bottom portion 5 and extending preferably the full width of the latter a hinge 9 is secured which is also fastened to the lower margin of the rear wall 6. lhe side walls 4 adjacent their rear ends are provided with a plurality of vertically spaced loops .0 between which similar vertically spaced loops ll integral with marginal portions 7 of the side walls 7 are adapted to lie when the trunk is in open position. Through the loops 10 and 11 removable locking pins 1:2 are inserted to hold the movable portion in such position that its rear wall 6 forms an extension of the bottom portion Then the side walls 7 form rearward extensions of the side walls 4 and the top 8 becomes a rear vertical wall.

Pivotally mounted on the inner side of the front wall 3 adjacent its upper corners are rods 15 which are adapted to swing horizontally about pins ll. \Vhcn the trunk is in closed position these rods are arranged transversely of the wall 3 adjacent tl'iereto, and are supported by an intermediate rest as shown at 16. To the top 8 towards its ends arms 17 are pivotally secured so that when the movable trunk portion 2 is rearwardly extended the arms may be swung into a substantially vertical position as indicated at 17 to support the outer extremities of the IOt s in the position indicated at 15".

To the upper end of the front wall 3, and on its inner side, one end of a flexible covering 18, generally made oi? fabric, is secured.

This covering is of substantially the same width as the trunk and has a brace 19 iftlw tened to its underside. This brace is so spaced from the fixed end of the covering that it may be supported by the extremities oil the rods 15 when the latter are rearwardly directed and substantially parallel with one another. Around the co ering 18 a (lOWlh turned folded portion 18 is provided, and the margin 18 of the cover'ng is preferably dependingly arranged under the said :tolded portion. Around the outer side of the margin 18 one half of a known type of running fastener 20 is attached. From Figure 3 it will be seen how the covering 18 may be arranged in the trunk when not in use so as not to occupy any considerable amount, of space therein.

To the margin of the top 8 which is uppe"- most when the trunk is in open position the central portion of a side curtain 21 is attached. When the latter is not in use its ends are folded over the central portion and the whole is held against the inner side of the top 8 as by a strap hen in use the side curtain 21 extends upwardly to the covering 18 around three sides of the latter. Continuously arrnuid the upper margin of the curtain 21. one halt of a running fastener 23 is provided which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the other half of the tastener portion 20 in the usual manner by a known type of running coupling 2% In the present instance the latter is held against djisengagement from the fastener portion 20 by a stop 25 after having been released from the portion 23.

After the coupling 2% has been drawn around the three sides of the curtain .31 and covering 18 so that their running fastener portions 23 and 20 have all been brought into engagement the coupling rests adjacent the other side wall 4 to that adjacent which it lay before the coupling operation was commenced. This other side wall 4 provided with a projecting member 26 having an aperture 27 therethrough. 2% denotes a plate pivotal on the coupling 24 and having an open-.

ing 29 therein. T he plate 2% is placed over the member 26 and a padlock 3O may have its retaining member inserted through the aperture 27 to prevent unauthorized movement of the coupling. In this manner the trunk when in open position is rendered thettproof unless, of course, the covering or side curtain is deliberately cut, or torn.

Those portions of the lower margin of the side curtain 21 which overlie the side walls 7 project outwardly beyond the latter, and adjacent these margins skirts 31 are secured to the inner sides of the said curtain. Fasteners 32 are attached to the skirts 31 to engage coacting fasteners 33 on the inner sides of the said side walls 7. A fastener 34 is also provided towards the ends of the curtain 21 to engage a corresponding fastener (not shown) on each of the side walls t.

Around the sides 7, which lie outside the sides 4- when the trunl: is closed, and around the top 8 a continuous n'ioulding 36 is arranged having a projection 37 thereon to engage a groove 38 in a moulding which pro 'jects rearwardly from the front wall 23 and extends around three sides of the latter at its margin. 40 denotes a flexible strip which is preferably provided in the groove 38. Locking portions, of any conventional design, as shown at ll and 42 are also mounted on or adjacent the mouldings 39 and 36 to hold the trunk in closed position.

\Vhile in the foregoing the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described and shown, it is understood that the construction is susceptible to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims. \Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a trunk of the character described, the combination of a stationary and a movable portion, said stationary portion having a front, sides and bottom, said movable portion having sides, a top and a back, means for pivotally connecting said bottom to said back so that the latter may lie substantially in the same plane as the former when the trunk is open, a flexible covering having one end attached to said tront and of such length as to extend over said top when the movable portion is open and said top in a substantially vertical position, a brace across the outer end of said covering, supports mounted at one end on said top and adapted to extend under said covering adjacent its sides, and. the other ends of said supports adapted to engage said brace.

2. In a trunk of the character described,

the combination of a stationary and a movable portion, said stationary portion having a front, sides and bottom, said movable portion having sides, a top and a back, means for pivotally connecting said bottom to said back so that the latter may lie substantially in the same plane asthe former when the trunk is open, a flexible covering having one end attached to said front adjacent its upper end (ill and adapted to lie against said front and said bottom when not in use, a brace secured to the outer end of said covering, supports pivoted on said front adapted to lie adjacent the latter when not in use, said supports being adapted to extend substantially at right an gles to said front, pivoted arms on said top adapted to engage the outer extremities of said supports, said covering being adapted to lie on said supports when in use, and'the brace being adapted to engage the extremities of said supports.

In a trunk of the character described, the combination of a stationary and a movable portion, said stationary portion having a front, sides and bottom, said movable portion having sides, a top and a back, a hinge con necting said bottom to said back so that the latter lies substantially in the same plane as the former when the trunk is open, a covering, one end of which is mounted on said front and the outer end of which is adapted to extend over said top when the latter is in open and substantially vertical position, means for supporting said coverin a side curtain secured to said top and adapted to extend upwardly around said top and the sides of both the stationary and movable portions, and means for fastenin the upper margins of said curtain to the side and rear margins of said covering, said curtain having sufiicient width to hang below the upper edges of all said sides.

4%. In a trunk of the character described, the combination of a stationary and a movable portion, said stationary portion having a front, sides and bottom, said movable portion having sioes, a top and a back, a hinge connecting said bottom to said back so that the latter lies substantially in the same plane as the former when the trunk is open, the sides of said movable portion then forming continuatic-ns of the sides of said stationary portion and the top then forming a rear wall and being substantially vertical, a covering dapted to extend from said front to a position above said top when the latter is in open position, means for supporting said covering, a curtain having sufficient width to extend around the sides of both the stationary and movable portions and said top, and to project vertically above them, a running fastener portion around the sides and rear of said covering, a second running fastener portion around the upper margin of said curtain, and a running coupling to bring said fastener portions into engagement. 5. In a trunk of the character described, the combination of a stationary and a movable portion, said stationary portion having a front, sides and bottom, said movable portion having sides, a top and a back, a hinge connecting said bottom to said back so that the latter lies substantially in the same plane as the former when the trunkis open, the sides of said movable portion then forming continuations of the sides of said stationary portion and the top then forming a rear Wall and being substantially vertical, a covering secured at one end to said front and adapted to extend from the latter to a position above said top when the latter is in open position, means for supporting said covering, a curtain adapted to extend around the sides of both the stationary and movable portions and said top and to project vertically above them, the lower margins of said curtain portions over said trunk sides having sufiicient Width to extend below their upper edges, skirts on portions of the lower parts of said curtain, fasteners on said skirts, ant, cooperating fasteners on the sides of said trunk, and means for securing the side and rear margins of said covering to the upper margin of said curtain.

6. In a trunk of the character described, the combination of a stationary and a movable portion, said stationary portion having a front, sides and bottom, said movable portion having sides, a top and a back, a hinge connecting saidbottom to said back so that the latter lies substantially in the same plane as the former when the trunk is open, the sides of said movable portion then forming continuations of the sides of the stationary portion and the top then forming a rear wall and being substantially vertical, a covering adapted to extend from said front to a position above said top when the latter is in open position, one end of said covering being secured to said front, means for supporting said covering, running fastener portions around the sides and rear margin of said covering, a curtain having a portion of one margin secured to said top,running fastener portions continuously around the other margin of said curtain, a running coupling to bring said running fastener portions into engagement, and means for rendering said coupling immovable when said fastener portions are engaged, said curtain then depending from said covering and extending below the upper edges of the sides of the movable and stationary portions and below the upper edge of said top.

7. In a trunk of the character described, the combination of a stationary portion having a front, sides and bottom, a moulding eX- tending rearwardly from said front around its side and upper margins, a movable portion having a top. sides and a back, a hinge connecting said bottom and said back, a moulding extending forwardly around said latter sides and top adapted to engage said first named moulding and render said trunk weatherproof when closed, said movable portion being adapted to be opened so that its back lies substantially in the same plane as said bottom, means for holding said bottom and back substantially in alignment, a cover ing having one end secured to said front and adapted to extend to a position above the top when the latter is in open position, means for supporting said covering, a side curtain attached to said top and adapted to be dependingiy fastened to the side and rear margins of said covering so that its lower edges extend below the upper margins of all the sides.

CHARLES BILLBURG. 

